Senate passes FY20 budgetOn Thursday, May 23, the Massachusetts Senate passed a $42.8 billion state budget for fiscal year 2020, after adding $74 million in amendments. During debate, most amendments for early education and care were either withdrawn or voted down. This includes amendments for an early educator rate increase, and preschool expansion grant funding. The amendments that did pass totaled $2.6 million, and added small amounts of funding for specific programs - East End House in Cambridge, Community Action Agency of Somerville, Square One in Springfield, Nurtury in Boston, Jumpstart, and Parent-Child Home Program - as well as funding for statewide resource and referral agencies [Access Management, 3000-2000].

The final Senate budget provides $16.6 million less for early education than the House budget.

To reconcile differences between House and Senate budgets, a six-member conference committee will begin negotiation soon. Check back for advocacy opportunities.

EEC Administration (3000-1000) FY17 GAA: $5,666,766 [$6.75 million transferred to 3000-1020]
FY18 GAA: $5,761,617 [includes earmarks for local early ed. programming: $50,000 for Pittsfield and $25,000 for Cambridge]
FY19 Final Budget (GAA): $6,041,677 [includes $100,000 for Jumpstart; $25,000 for East End House in Cambridge]
FY20 Governor: $6,172,055
FY20 House Ways & Means: $6,172,055
FY20 House Final: $6,572,055 [includes $50,000 for East Boston Social Centers, $250,000 for Ellis Memorial Early Education Center, and $100,000 for More Than Words]
FY20 Senate Ways & Means: $6,172,055
FY20 Senate Final:
$6,447,055 [includes $25,000 for East End House in Cambridge, $50,000 for Community Action Agency of Somerville, $50,000 for Springfield Day Nursery Corporation, and $150,000 for Jumpstart]

Workforce Development Initiative (3000-7066)For professional development and higher education opportunities and supports for early educators to be coordinated through the department in conjunction with the Massachusetts community colleges; provided, that programming shall focus on the statewide recruitment and training needs specific to the early education and care workforce, encourage opportunities for career advancement and retention, and incorporate early education and care stakeholder, employer and industry collaboration; and provided further, that professional development opportunities shall be consistent with the core competencies and career pathways established by the department, and in accordance with the recommendations of the Early Education and Care Workforce Council established in section 79 of this act.FY19 Final Budget (GAA): $10,000,000, see section 79.
FY20 Governor: $5,000,000
FY20 House Ways & Means: $5,000,000
FY20 House Final: $5,000,000
FY20 Senate Ways & Means: not funded
FY20 Senate Final: not funded

Once debated, amended and voted on by the Senate, it becomes the Senate's budget bill.

House and Senate Conference
Committee Budget
June 2019

House and Senate leadership assign members to a joint "conference committee" to negotiate the differences between the House and Senate budgets. The conference committee then returns its compromise budget to the House for a vote. Once approved by the House, the budget goes to the Senate for its approval.

Vetoes
July 2019

From there, the Senate passes the bill to the Governor who has ten days to review and approve it, or make vetoes recommendations, but may not add anything to the budget.

Overrides

The House and Senate may vote to override the Governor's vetoes, with a two-thirds majority vote in each chamber.

Final Budget
July 1, 2019

July 1, 2019, the first day of the 2020 Fiscal Year, the FY20 budget becomes effective.